Sonia's Rough Living
by Ramillies
Summary: Part 2 of 5. Sonia journeys to the Isle of Dominicaine to learn to work on her weaknesses, but Sleet and Dingo sure won't give her an easy time of it.
1. Chapter 1

** Freedom Fighters Stand**

Part 2: Sonia's Rough Living

This is the second part to the saga, following Sonia on her mission to defeat Robotnik's forces on the Isle of Dominicaine.

**Chapter 1: Isle of Dominicaine**

"_**With the Oracle of Delhpius splitting my children up and sending them to different parts of Mobius to learn to work on their weaknesses, I worried much about how they would do. Sonia would find it hard to have to adapt to the life she was in store for but I had to keep my faith that she would cope." Queen Aleena.**_

* * *

><p>Sonia sighed happily as the cool breeze whirled through her hair. It had been three days since she had left Robotropolis and now she was on a ferry heading for the Isle of Dominicaine, an island which the rich inhabitants supported Robotnik while the poor supported the Resistance. Sonia knew her task here was going to be tough and she was wise enough to know that Robotnik would eventually, if not already, know where she was going and try and stop her. She went over in her mind what the Oracle of Delphius had explained to her.<p>

"_Sonia, you must go to the Isle of Dominicaine and convince the aristocrats to fund the Resistance. Their money goes to Robotnik in much larger quantities than the nobles around Robotropolis since they willingly give extra to Robotnik. You will need to aid the local Resistance, incidentally they are made up of the poor, in bringing down Robotnik's forces there as he intends to build the largest Stealthbot factory in that area. You will need to show the Resistance that they can trust nobles and show the nobles that aiding the Resistance will be better for them. Although you are one of the leaders of the Resistance, you will have a tough time being accepted by either side, and this is where you will need to work on your weaknesses. Only by getting the nobles and the Resistance to work together will you free the Isle of Dominicaine from Robotnik's tyranny."_

"Citizen, your identification please." The mechanized sound of one of Robotnik's SWATbots filled Sonia's ears.

She whipped her head round to see one of the passengers rummaging around his pockets for his ID card. Sonia made sure her disguise was covering enough to make herself unidentifiable to the naked eye, and hopefully a SWATbot scanner.

'_Great, Robotnik sure didn't miss a trick here. I just hope the fake ID Cyrus gave me is enough to fool the bot.'_ Sonia thought as the SWATbot turned it's attention to her.

"Citizen, your identification please." The large, robotic hand held out in front of Sonia, expectant of some ID.

"Here you are, Mr. SWATbot, sir." Sonia feigned a deeper voice than normal as she pulled her fake ID card out of a pocket and placed it in the SWATbot's hand.

The SWATbot held the card in front of it's visor and scanned the card. Sonia found herself breathing heavier as the tension began to rise inside her. The SWATbot finished scanning and simply handed the card back to her before walking off to harass more passengers.

"Whew. Thank you Cyrus." Sonia whispered, following it up with a sigh of relief.

* * *

><p>Doctor Robotnik pressed the monitor activation button on the main computer in his fortress.<p>

"Report!" He demanded.

"_Scan of passenger ID on ferry _Mobius' Pride_ complete sir."_ The SWATbot commander said to it's master.

"And?" Robotnik asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"_One passenger ID revealed to be fake, sir, but under your orders the passenger was not informed of the fake ID nor was apprehended."_

"Excellent. Oh, and by chance is this passenger a female?"

"_Affirmative, sir."_

"EXCELLENT! Keep an eye on that passenger and contact me the moment she disembarks from the ferry." Robotnik ordered.

"_Orders received and understood, sir."_ The SWATbot deactivated the link.

Robotnik pressed the switch for the second monitor, showing Sleet fast asleep.

"Sleet! Dingo!" Robot yelled at the monitor.

Sleet yelped as he woke up and promptly fell off his seat.

"_Who's there?"_ Robotnik heard Dingo's voice ask.

"_It's Robotnik you flea paradise! Robotnik sir, how can we help?"_ Sleet asked in a grovelling tone.

"You two are going to the Isle of Dominicaine to capture one certain Princess Sonia." Robotnik told his henchmen.

"_Oh, Sonia."_ Dingo drooled at the prospect of seeing Sonia again.

"_For dhe last time, Dingo, will you STOP dhat! She is dhe enemy!"_ Sleet smacked Dingo on the back of his head.

"_Ow! Aww come on Sleet, just 'cause you can't find a girl."_ Dingo retorted.

"SILENCE! Just get your worthless backsides to Dominicaine within twenty-four hours or I'll roboticize both of you!" Robotnik shouted, causing Sleet and Dingo to both shudder in fear.

"_Yes, sir. We are on our way right away, sir."_ Sleet babbled as Robotnik disconnected the link.

"Sometimes I wonder if roboticizing those two would really be worth the time. I bet even as robots they would still mess up just as much and stress me out at least as much." Robotnik sighed. "Nevertheless, maybe they'll surprise me for once and I'll have my very own robotic Princess for a servant. The chase is on, my dear Sonia."

* * *

><p>It was early evening at the town of Port Domin when the ferry, <em>Mobius' Pride<em>, docked at the harbour. Sonia sat on her bike waiting to leave the ship when a shiver went down her spine. She had a feeling she was being watched and she could feel the adrenaline starting to pump around her body.

'_Robotnik must know I'm here, this feels like a trap.'_ She thought as the bay doors opened on the ferry.

A couple of minutes later she departed the ferry and made haste to get away from Port Domin as fast as her bike would go. Despite the fact that nothing had happened, she still felt as if someone or something was watching her and she started to get a feeling of dread building up within her very soul.

* * *

><p>Robotnik was stirred from his scheming by the beep of an incoming call.<p>

"Report." He said as he pressed the monitor button.

"_Passenger has departed the ferry on a bike, sir."_ The SWATbot commander reported.

"Excellent, follow her and commence an attack five minutes after she has left the outskirts of Port Domin." Robotnik ordered the SWATbot.

"_Acknowledged sir."_

"Remember though; I want her ALIVE. Sleet and Dingo will be in Port Domin tomorrow to bring her back to Robotropolis for roboticization."

"_I understand orders, sir."_

"Excellent." Robotnik started to laugh evilly to himself.

* * *

><p>As Sonia rode along the road at a blistering pace, she had a bad feeling. Something was going to happen and it was going to happen very soon. She dared a look behind her and sure enough, right on schedule, a green laser bolt landed right next to her bike.<p>

"Oh wonderful. SWATbots."

Sonia counted five SWATbots in pursuit of her from the air as they all started firing at her.

"Priority One: Hedgehog." The SWATbots pointlessly acknowledged it's programming on priority targets.

Sonia struggled to keep control of her bike on the rough road surface but she didn't have the time to stop to take them all on without leaving herself as a sitting duck for a few moments. She gritted her teeth and kept doing her best to dodge the shots for a few extra minutes until four more SWATbots joined in.

"Oh just what I need: more SWATbots." Sonia cursed her luck as the new SWATbots joined in the firing.

One of the laser bolts punctured the rear tyre on Sonia's bike which forced Sonia to slow down.

'_Great, I've got to get off my bike or I'll be fried.'_ She thought as she braked hard and jumped off her bike.

The SWATbots opened fire on her bike and left it in pieces on the road.

"HEY! I've only had that bike for a few days!" Sonia shouted angrily as she powered up her medallion into her laser rifle.

Sonia started shooting wildly at the SWATbots and managed to destroy two of them before they turned around and started firing at her again. Sonia dived out of the way, avoiding the incoming laser bolts. She groaned as she got up and found herself confronted by a SWATbot. She aimed her rifle at it, but the SWATbot swiped the rifle out of Sonia's grasp with it's hand, then aimed the laser cannon directly at her head.

"Priority One: Hedgehog. Surrender immediately." The SWATbot ordered.

"Not a chance, bot." Sonia back flipped away from the SWATbot to where her rifle lay.

The SWATbot opened fire, but Sonia was too graceful and too fast for it to aim accurately meaning all the laser bolts missed her. Sonia grabbed her rifle off the ground, rolled to her left and shot the SWATbot directly in the head. As she got to her feet again, two more SWATbots approached rapidly.

"Priority One: Hedgehog."

"No duh." Sonia mocked the SWATbot as she shot one of them.

She was about to shoot the other one when she was knocked off her feet by a number of laser bolts landing right behind her. Sonia changed her rifle back into the medallion form just in time as the approaching SWAtbot grabbed her and hauled her to her feet, it's hand grabbing her in a vice-like grip.

"You're not getting me!" Sonia yelled defiantly as she used her free hand to break the grip the SWATbot had on her.

Sonia grabbed the SWATbot and picked it up off it's feet, then hurled it into a nearby tree, destroying the SWATbot. Her victory was short lived as the remaining four SWATbots walked towards her from different directions, all aiming their laser cannons at her neck.

"Surrender now, Princess Sonia." One of them ordered.

Sonia growled angrily as she realised there was no escape from this. She raised her hands in the air in defeat as the SWATbots closed in.

"Take the prisoner back to Port Domin for incarceration." The lead SWATbot ordered the others.

"Acknowledged." Another replied.

Two SWATbots grabbed Sonia's arms and were about to take off when suddenly a number of laser shots hit them and destroyed them. Sonia and the two remaining SWATbots all were in a state of shock for a few moments until Sonia snapped out her shock and quickly tackled the SWATbot leader. The other SWATbot aimed it's laser cannon at Sonia, who punched through the visor of the SWATbot leader. As the last remaining SWATbot was about to fire, more laser shots echoed and the remaining SWATbot exploded as the laser shots hit it.

"Come out, whoever you are!" Sonia shouted as she jumped off the SWATbot and looked around.

A figure approached her, his or her weapon holstered, Sonia noticed. The figure became visible as an orange fox...with two tails visible.

"Who are you?" Sonia asked.

"I'm part of the Resistance here on the Isle of Dominicaine. We've got to get out of here before more SWATbots show." The fox's male voice told Sonia.

"Before we go anywhere, what is your name?" Sonia asked.

"I'm Miles Prower but everyone calls me 'Tails', and it is indeed an honour to meet you in person, Princess Sonia."

To Be Continued...

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in relation to the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise nor do I claim to own anything from said franchise. All I do own is the town of Port Domin and the Isle of Dominicaine. Any likenesses discovered between my town and island to anything real or associated with Sonic the Hedgehog is purely coincidental.


	2. Chapter 2

Sonia's Rough Living

**Chapter 2: Miles Prower**

"_**Robotnik was determined to stop Sonia before she had even started and he would have done so if not for the intervention of a two tailed fox named Miles Prower, otherwise known as Tails to everyone who knew him. I believe that Tails' intervention was more an act of fate than luck and I'm sure the Oracle of Delphius knew that Tails would be a substitute for Sonic and Manic, not that he would ever tell me. Hopefully with the aid of Tails, Sonia would succeed and we will be one step closer to stopping Robotnik once and for all." Queen Aleena**_

"Before we go anywhere, what is your name?" Sonia asked.

"I'm Miles Prower but everyone calls me 'Tails', and it is indeed an honour to meet you in person, Princess Sonia."

Sonia's jaw dropped. How could this fox possible know what she looked like? She'd never been here before and he certainly didn't look to particularly old, maybe five or six years younger than she was so any prior knowledge would surely have been warped or forgotten about her.

"We need to go before more SWATbots arrive." Tails urged the stunned hedgehog.

Sonia's mouth moved but no words came out. Tails rolled his eyes as he grabbed Sonia's arm.

"Huh?" Sonia didn't know what to expect.

Tails wound his two tails up and took flight, hauling Sonia off the ground.

"Wh-what's happening? How are you...?" Sonia was almost in hysterics.

"Flying? Simple, two tails." Tails calmly told her. "Before you ask, I'm taking you to a hideout I built. No-one knows about it, not even anyone else in the Resistance."

Hundreds of questions filled Sonia's mind as Tails carried her away from the scene of the fight. She wanted to ask much but her mind was still a little addled over Tails showing up and knowing exactly who she was without introductions and the fact that this fox was capable of flying. Slowly, Sonia was able to sort her mind out and regain focus on exactly what was happening, just in time for Tails to place her back on the ground on her feet.

"Come, follow me." Tails said to her as he released his hold on her hand.

Sonia obeyed without comment as she followed the orange fox into the ruins of what seemed to be an old farm building. Sonia wrinkled her nose at the prospect of going in such a wreck of a place but the other choice of waiting to be arrested by numerous SWATbots and eventually roboticized meant that she would take the wreck any day.

"What was this place?" She asked.

"It was a farm. One member of our group used to live here a while ago until his master, Lord Adam Tollring, expressed his concerns about supporting Robotnik shortly after he forced Queen Aleena into hiding." Tails explained as the two picked their way through the rubble.

"So word got back to Robotnik about this and he sent an army to lay waste to Tollring's estate and the dwellings of his servants?"

"That's the thing; he didn't. As far as we know, Buttnik knew nothing of this; this was all done by the other nobles of this land. Lord Tollring lost quite a lot but he is still a noble of this land although he doesn't speak out against Robotnik anymore." Tails sighed. "We've tried a few times to convince him to aid the Resistance but he declines stating that he will not help the 'common rabble'. Tollring is pretty much an arrogant jerk, like all of the nobles...you'll have a hard time getting any of the Resistance out here to aid you, considering your privileged upbringing, and I know they'll shun me if I'm seen to be helping you, but I will help you when I can."

Sonia felt hurt, shocked and insulted all at once but before she could respond, Tails opened the entrance to his hideout. As Sonia observed the fox in action, she noticed the rubble hadn't fallen like it had purposely, it was 'conveniently placed' to make one assume the roof had completely collapsed whereas it fact it hadn't, at least that is what Sonia thought.

"Tails? Am I right in thinking that this rubble has been conveniently placed to look like a collapse at this point?" The purple hedgehog asked.

"Mostly." Tails replied as he crawled into a small cave. "Follow me."

'_Oh I hate crawling through dirty places. My clothes will be a mess and there won't be a dry cleaners that I can get to without being mobbed by a legion of SWATbots.'_ Sonia moaned in her thoughts as she gritted her teeth and started to crawl into the cave, following her new friend.

After a minute or so of crawling, Sonia heard the sound of feet walking across metal. It was a little worrying and a relief at the same time as she was in complete darkness and she would at least be on a surface that wouldn't make her clothes as dirty. Suddenly a number of lights flashed on, causing Sonia to shut her eyes, turn away and place her left hand over her eyes.

"What the heck?"

"Heh, sorry Sonia, I should have warned you." Tails laughed lightly. "Welcome to my home away from home."

As Sonia's eyes started to adjust to the light, she slowly opened them and removed her hand from shielding them. She gazed in amazement at the hideout that Tails had made by himself; there was an array of technological equipment and many tools all over the place.

"What do you do here?"

"I invent gadgets, tools, repair machinery, upgrade weaponry for my allies and create things from spare parts looted off of Robotnik's SWATbots. Those are the kind of things I do but really engineering is what I love most; building and repairing...it gives me such a thrill." Tails sighed heavily. "It's just a shame I have to spend so much time researching and building weapons to fight Robotnik...and really...I don't want to sound disrespectful to my comrades but I do feel my talents are a little wasted here are there isn't much I can do. This island is a little devoid of any real technological specialities that Robotnik would place here so my chances for some excellent 'spare' parts are really hard to come by. Most of my tools are a little outdated, but they do the work I need." Tails explained to the Royal Hedgehog.

"It all looks pretty good to me." Sonia commented as she wondered if maybe Tails had some ego issues...like a certain fast brother of hers.

Tails led Sonia further into his hideout, revealing the basic amenities he had created for his home. Sonia wasn't particularly thrilled at the accommodations but with nowhere else to go that could provide her safety from Robotnik's SWATbot patrols, she had no choice but to get used to it.

"_There is no way I'm going to like this, I mean, even the van was better equipped than this place. Heck, I think even Manic would struggle to be satisfied in this place and he knows about living rough."_

Sonia eventually decided, after much complaining in her thoughts, that it would be better to try and get to know her new friend a bit better.

"So...Tails, how do you know who I am?" Sonia enquired suspiciously.

"Well, you ARE the Princess; it's not as if people don't know who you are." Tails replied.

"Come on Miles, you aren't fooling me. Yes people know **about** me but a lot don't know what I look like and you knew exactly who I was." Sonia narrowed her eyes and gave Tails a stern stare.

Tails, upon seeing the look Sonia was giving him, decided that perhaps giving a full explanation might be the best course of action.

"Well, it's quite a story." He began, not really wanting to have to talk about the experience.

"Not like I've got to be somewhere."

"Alright then but this will take a while to explain so you might as well get comfortable." Tails suggested to the Princess as he sat on the floor.

"How do I know who you are? Well it goes back about six years ago, long before you even knew you had two brothers, let alone you, Sonic and Manic were all royalty. I was a young kid who had witnessed my parents being arrested by Robotnik's SWATbots for speaking out against him. My parents knew the SWATbots were coming so they told me to run to a friend of theirs...an old hedgehog who was related to Queen Aleena, known to us all as 'Uncle' Chuck."

Sonia gasped at hearing about Chuck.

"Sonic talked about 'Uncle' Chuck, but I never knew he was actually an uncle. Oh my gosh, if Sonic found this out it would cut into him even more than losing him already had done." Sonia started to fret over what might happen to Sonic.

"I think Sonic knew that Chuck was his actual uncle as far as I can tell. Anyway, after seeing my parents arrested I found 'Uncle' Chuck and told him what had happened. I don't know the details but I assume that Sonic ended up going to try and save them while Chuck took me to the Resistance's hideout. For days I waited and waited for any word on Sonic saving my parents..." Tails stopped and turned his head away from Sonia before sighing heavily.

"Sonic...didn't get there...in time?" Sonia asked tentatively, with a rising feeling of guilt for bringing up bad memories for Tails.

Tails shook his head and screwed his eyes tightly shut as he tried to fight off the overwhelming desire to just break down. After a few moments, he felt a hand rest on his shoulder and gently squeeze it. He opened his eyes and turned to face Sonia, who promptly sat next to him to comfort the fox.

"Sonic found me out when he returned and broke the news to me. I wanted to...hate him but I couldn't." Tails said in a low voice.

"Why? Couldn't you hate him, I mean."

"The look in his eyes told a story. He had witnessed more than he ever told me, I just know it. He said to me that he had seen my parents get roboticized and that there were too many SWATbots blocking his path to stop the process in time. There had to be more than that though, Sonia. Chuck told me days later that Sonic had witnessed people being roboticized before and nothing had caused that kind of reaction...I think Sonic had told Chuck all about it but they didn't want me to know more, I suppose that was understandable."

Tails and Sonia sat in silence for a few minutes before Tails continued his story.

"After that, I vowed to get revenge on Robotnik but I knew I wasn't any kind of fighter, heck, I was just a little kid. What could I possibly do to stop Robotnik? It was then that I discovered my love for mechanics, which is another story in its own right. Needless to say I eventually convinced Sonic to bring me SWATbot parts from the ones he destroyed, and in return I made weapons and armour for the Resistance. Over the months, Sonic and I bonded and we became best friends and everything was rosy, as rosy as it could get with a mad dictator around trying to destroy you on a daily basis, until after a top level meeting it was decided that the youngsters should be taken somewhere safe to grow up before joining the Resistance and helping to defeat Robotnik, hence Sanctuary being created."

Tails sighed again and frustrated look grew on his face.

"I didn't want to go to Sanctuary, Sonia, I argued with Chuck and Sonic for hours, telling them that I was more help to them now than being away for four or five years. Things didn't end well and I ended up leaving Robotropolis that night. How I ever managed to avoid being found by Sonic, I'll never know but I did, and, eventually I found myself here on this terrible mass of land filled with pathetic nobles who are too scared to speak out against Robotnik or even subtly help the Resistance and arrogant Freedom Fighters who distrust anyone who has any kind of wealth or any kind of privileged upbringing." Tails shook his head. "I always kept up with the latest news in the Resistance, specifically news on Sonic, over the years. My allies scoffed at everything you, Sonic and Manic did in the past but I always kept interest."

Sonia grunted quietly as she thought again about the gravity of her task.

"I'm guessing that since you didn't know who I was Sonic never mentioned anything about me?" Tails asked.

Sonia simply shook her head in response.

"So what's your plan now you are here on this forsaken island?" Tails enquired.

"Simple. Convince the Freedom Fighters to trust me, get support of the nobles and then wipe Robotnik's forces off this place."

"You make it sound so easy."

"Shouldn't be overly difficult considering that I AM quite a charismatic person and people will listen to me." Sonia stated a little overconfidently.

'_Not going to be as easy as you think, Princess. You'll learn that the Freedom Fighters are far more stubborn than you think they are.'_ Tails thought.

* * *

><p>"What is this place again, Sleet?" Dingo asked.<p>

"Dingo, you are such an idiot. Pay attention dis time!" Sleet shouted at Dingo. "Dis is the Isle of Dominicaine, a haven for dhe rich and a hellhole for dhe poor. Sonia is here and by now she should be clapped in irons waiting for us to take her back to Robotropolis so Robotnik can roboticize her."

Sleet and Dingo's aircraft landed at Robotnik's outpost just outside Port Domin.

"Oh poor Sonia. How will we ever be together if she is a robot?" Dingo wailed.

"You'd have more of a chance with her when she is one." Sleet muttered under his breath as he opened the hatch so he and Dingo could get out of their plane.

"Welcome to outpost six-five-five. Request orders." A SWATbot requested as it approached Sleet.

"Bring dhe prisoner up here for transport to Doctor Robotnik." Sleet ordered.

"Request cannot be completed." The SWATbot replied.

"WHAT? Why?"

"No prisoner for transfer." The SWATbot explained.

"What do you mean? Robotnik told us that dhe Princess would be incarcerated when we got here." Sleet was furious that Sonia seemingly hadn't been captured.

"Oh, you mean Sonia got away?" Dingo asked hopefully.

"Units sent to apprehend Priority One: Hedgehog have not returned nor reported in. Assumption is they are KIA, MIA or AWOL." The SWATbot reported.

"Well we can rule out AWOL: None of dhe SWATbots have advanced enough programming to think about abandoning duties. I highly doubt dhat Sonia would kidnap some SWATbots so I'll go with killed in action. Get us some vehicles and a few guards ready to leave within ten minutes. We are going on the lookout for some smashed up SWATbots."

To Be Continued...

* * *

><p>Disclaimer: Basically the same as the previous chapter but with the additions that I do not own Uncle Chuck but I DO own Lord Adam Tollring.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Sonia's Rough Living

**Chapter 3: Desperate Techniques**

"_**With a new ally in Tails, Sonia would start to spend more time focusing on her quest. However, with Sleet and Dingo in the wings and the problems she will face from both the nobles and the Resistance, her task has only just begun and will get even harder before there is a glimpse of it coming to fruition." Queen Aleena**_

'_I really can't take this anymore. Three long days I've been sneaking around here and what have I got to show for it? A number of rips in my clothes, one too many close calls with SWATbot patrols and an unexpected encounter with the local Resistance leader who was so dismissive of me that I wish I had punched him in the face.'_ Sonia fumed as she dashed away from the seaside town of Port Domin.

Sonia had spent the past three days trying to gather as much information as she could about the nobles of the Isle of Dominicaine from the data core within the small Robotnik stronghold deep within the heart of the town. Her opportunities had been few are far between, mainly because of her refusal to use the air vents to sneak around. The one occasion she had managed to get something she had run into, literally, the Resistance's leader of the Isle, Ari. Ari recognised her and subsequently grilled her for information as to why she was here and telling her she should just 'Go home to live her fancy life' despite Sonia's objections.

'_Sometimes I really wish I hadn't become a Freedom Fighter...and this is most definitely one of those times. I suppose, though, regardless of my 'career choice', Robotnik would still want me roboticized. I hate my life sometimes.'_

To make matter worse for the young princess, she had no means of transport to get back to Tails' hideout other than her own two legs; something else she wasn't looking forward to since it was quite a few miles outside of Port Domin.

'_I hope Cyrus won't flip over the bike he made for me being wrecked just days after he finished it.'_

Sonia ran for a good hour before having to take a break and catch her breath. She was in good physical shape, but even good athletes need to have a rest every now and then. She had only planned to stay for ten minutes or so before moving on but an interruption put paid to that. Not a very friendly one too.

"Well, well. If it isn't dhe Princess! I must say I'm surprised to see you out here."

Sonia groaned as she heard the all too familiar voice of Sleet.

"If it isn't the disgustingly slimy Sleet." Sonia verbally acknowledged Sleet's presence.

"Tank you for dhe compliments, Sonia."

"Hello Sonia, you look real pretty tonight." Dingo piped in, peering around Sleet.

Sleet slapped a hand over his eyes and groaned.

"Ugh, I'm hot, sweaty and tired...you know what, don't even go there Dingo or I'll drop you before you even know what has hit you!" Sonia warned the large orange canine.

"Mind your temper, Princess...although I will admit dhat I can't blame you for it. Regardless, you are coming with us and you will be roboticized, dhen Robotnik will reward me for my brilliance." Sleet confidently told Sonia, revealing a laser pistol from underneath his cloak.

"The amount of times we've been through this scenario over the years. Thought you boys might have learned something by now." Sonia sighed and shook her head, pitying Sleet for his poorly thought out plan.

Sonia jumped to her feet and brushed her fingers over her medallion, the trinket responding to the touch as it magically formed into the laser rifle. Sonia aimed the rifle at Sleet and allowed herself a slight grin.

"DHIS time, however, you will NOT escape! I've learned from my past mistakes. Stealthbots attack!" Sleet shouted at the top of his voice.

The roar of jet exhausts on the Stealthbots filled Sonia's ears as she spun around to see herself faced with four Stealthbots, all aiming their lasers at her.

"Well, I guess you aren't as dumb as you look Sleet; you're learning." Sonia was a little surprised by this turn of events.

"If I were Dingo I'd be tanking you for dhat, but I'm smart enough to know dhat dhat wasn't a compliment. Dhat being said, it is better to be smarter dhan you look rather dhan look smarter dhan you actually are, like Dingo...not dhat Dingo looks smart to start off with."

"Sleet! That wasn't nice." Dingo whined.

Sonia smirked as she lowered her rifle and let it morph back into the medallion.

"Well, well, I guess dhat you have thought dhis through. I'm a little surprised you didn't put up a fight. Dingo, arrest her."

"Okay Sleet. Come here Sonia, I won't hurt ya."

'_Not that you ever could.'_ Sonia thought as she rolled her eyes.

Sonia began to formulate an escape plan quickly in her mind. She wished that her brothers, or at the very least Sonic, was with her right now. Her plan was very risky and would require a good deal of convincing on her part but it would be the only way she might be able to escape.

"No tricks Sonia, don't make dhis any harder dhan it had to be." Sleet warned as Dingo reached Sonia.

The Stealthbots landed and lined up a good ten feet from Sonia. Dingo was about to grab Sonia when she jumped onto his thick arms and immediately kneed him in the face, knocking Dingo onto his back as Sonia jumped off of Dingo and landed next to him.

"Stop her!" Sleet shouted.

Sonia pressed her medallion again, making it morph into the laser rifle once more. Sonia pressed the barrel of the rifle against Dingo's head which made the dog like humanoid whimper. She then stomped hard on Dingo's hand and gave him the coldest stare she could muster.

"Call them off Sleet!" Dingo pleaded, looking into Sonia's hateful gaze.

"Hold your fire!" Sleet shouted.

The Stealthbots all tracked Sonia, but didn't shoot.

"Get the heck out of here Sleet, or Dingo loses what little of his mind he has." Sonia threatened in a level voice.

"You wouldn't dare! What makes you tink I'd believe you'd murder Dingo?" Sleet questioned, doubting that Sonia would ever bring herself to resort to such a cold and callous act.

Sonia took a deep breath, she really didn't like where this was going.

"This...this is war, Sleet. The Resistance needs me if it is going to topple Robotnik's reign of terror and sacrifices have to be made. If killing Dingo needs to be done, it will...have to be done." Sonia steeled herself as she applied slight pressure to the trigger.

"Sleet! I...I don't want to die! Please Sleet!"

"You wouldn't shoot him; you couldn't live with dhat on your conscience." Sleet's eyes narrowed, knowing this was now a battle of willpower.

"You ordered the Stealthbots to hold on attacking me-" Sonia gestured at the idle Stealthbots "the question, Sleet, is not whether I could live with killing Dingo but could you live with knowing you held his fate in your hands and you chose not to save him. You might be able to convince Robotnik that the means justify the end, but you could never convince yourself."

Sleet turned his back on Sonia and growled. As much as he knew how important capturing Sonia was, could he really lose Dingo over this?

'_Blast that girl! Dingo and I have worked in tandem for well over a decade as a pair of Bounty Hunters. We were the best out there; no-one could escape from my brains and Dingo's brawn...I...he is the closest thing I have to a brother.'_ Sleet fought back tears as he clenched his left hand tightly.

"Sleet!" Dingo wailed as Sonia pressed the barrel of her rifle harder against Dingo's head.

"Fine! Stealthbots, return to base!" Sleet shouted.

The Stealthbots lowered their laser cannon arms, turned and took flight to return to their base, leaving the three humanoids alone. Sonia slowly removed her rifle from being pressed against Dingo's head and walked backwards a few steps, allowing Dingo to stand up.

"Get out of here before I change my mind." Sonia said as coldly as she could.

Dingo, not wanting to hang around to see if Sonia was serious, immediately started sprinting back in the direction of Port Domin. Sleet, eyed Sonia and remained still.

"Do not tink dhat you have an advantage over me. You might have won dhis battle but dhere will be other opportunities to apprehend you."

"You talk the talk, Sleet, but you'll never be able to walk the walk." Sonia frowned as she knew she said something very similar to what Sonic might say, which in a way, made her miss him being around once again. "There will be more times in the future, but you'll fail every time."

Sleet grunted as he turned and walked off leaving Sonia alone. Sonia kept her rifle aimed at Sleet until he disappeared from view in the failing light of dusk. Once he was gone, her rifle morphed back into the medallion around her neck, and Sonia allowed herself to relax and...cry.

'_What did I do there? Why did I have to do that? There must have been an easier way out of that situation without threatening to slay Dingo there and then. I don't like either of them but I'm one of the good guys...we don't resort to that kind of horror tactic.'_ Sonia sobbed heavily. _'I want my brothers...I want my mother.'_

* * *

><p>Tails ran a gloved hand back and forth over his furry chin as he thought hard about the modifications he had made to a rifle he had 'acquired' from one of the nobles of the island. It was a hunting rifle which he made rigged into a make-shift sniper rifle which would give the Resistance an edge on taking out the local SWATbot army.<p>

"I really need to test this out on something." He muttered unconvincingly, shaking his head.

Despite being a mechanical genius, Tails wished he had access to better quality materials. This sniper rifle he made lacked an effective power cell to provide the punch needed to destroy a SWATbot over a long distance, meaning the weapon was more like a bad joke on his skills in its current state. Tails was certain that the kind of cell he was after wouldn't be easily available on the island. He'd have to steal a few cells from Stealthbots, which weren't exactly a common sight out in these parts.

Tails' train of thought was interrupted when the klaxon started to sound, warning that somebody was in the vicinity of his hideout. Tails left the rifle on his workbench and swiftly ran to the small security station he had set up right at the back of his hideout. As he switched to the well hidden security camera that watched over the entrance, it occurred to Tails that Sonia seemed to be late in returning from her mission at Port Domin, so he was not at all surprised to see it was her approaching. However, Tails noticed she seemed a little...off, a bit upset over something.

Tails pondered what might be wrong with the hedgehog as he watched her remove one of her long gloves and move her hand out of sight of the security camera, placing her hand on the scanner (which Tails had managed to disguise as what appeared to just be a broken fuse box) to allow her access into the hideout. The small, two-tailed orange fox tapped his lips a few times with the index finger of his left hand. Tails was a mechanical genius – a genius in short really, but when it came to women, that was something else. Sure, he knew some women and had worked with and spent some time around them but when it came to understanding them or anything like that he wasn't very experienced so coming up short was no surprise to him at all.

Tails left the security station and swiftly moved towards the entrance of the hideout, just in time to meet Sonia walking in.

"Hey Sonia." Tails greeted the Princess as she walked slowly past him.

Sonia kept going, like she hadn't even noticed him. Tails turned and followed her.

"Sonia? Hello?"

Sonia grunted something as she collapsed into a chair, sighing heavily.

"You alright?" Tails asked, scratching his forehead.

"Huh? Yeah...sure." Sonia replied, completely disinterested.

"Certain? You don't _look_ alright." Tails frowned at her.

"I look fine, I feel fine, I AM fine, alright?" Sonia snapped back.

"Whoa, sorry. Don't bite my head off, I didn't mean to upset you." Tails took a step back and held his hands up defensively.

"Sorry, Tails. It has...been a rough day." Sonia shook her head. "One I won't forget anytime soon."

"How bad?"

Tails wasn't sure if he really wanted to know the details, but he thought he may end up finding out even if he didn't want to.

* * *

><p>'<em>That blasted, spoilt brat! Curse her for what she did! I just know that fatty Robotnik will be livid with me for Dingo's stupidity and my show of mercy. He would never understand, after all, how many friends does Robotnik actually have? None! Dingo and I are the only living creatures he actually associates with, discounting the nobles that he taxes heavily from...and that is only because of the money. I can't put off reporting in to Robotnik as he'll get suspicious of me; after all I <em>_**have**__ betrayed him in the past.'_ Sleet thought as he tapped the communications monitor he had.

While Dingo was off resting, Sleet had been worrying about how Robotnik would react, and none of the scenarios Sleet had played out in his head had been favourable to him. He would just have to bite the bullet and hope that Robotnik had had some good news regarding Sonic or Manic to temper the bad news he had about letting Sonia slip through his fingers.

"No time like dhe present, I guess." Sleet muttered as he pressed the device's contact button to contact Robotnik.

Sleet was surprised with the lack of a response. He pressed the button again and again but only got static.

'_Maybe this might be good for me after all.'_ Sleet thought. "Doctor Robotnik? Are you dhere? Come in Robotnik, dhis is Sleet reporting."

The screen finally cleared as the call was answered...but not by Robotnik.

"_Doctor Robotnik is unavailable."_ A SWATbot had answered the call.

"Where is he?" Sleet was curious.

"_Location classified. Your attempt to contact Doctor Robotnik will be stored into memory and passed on when Doctor Robotnik returns."_

The screen went blank.

Sleet was intrigued about this turn of events. Robotnik wasn't really one for secrecy about where he was since he was so overconfident about defeating the hedgehogs.

'_Perhaps there is more here than meets the eye.'_

To Be Continued...

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry about the massive length in updating this story. I kind of got distracted and forgot about it until a couple of weeks ago.<p> 


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